Letter
by wigglesfunk
Summary: It all starts when Ashley opens a letter addressed to Helen.
1. Chapter 1

Ashley approached her mother's office in extreme trepidation. She held a letter in her hand, one addressed to her mom. She had opened it out of curiosity and was almost sorry she had read it. Knocking timidly on the door she waited for her mom to grant her entrance. Receiving it Ashley mustered up her courage and entered.

"Ashley, darling." Helen said catching sight of her young teenage daughter. "You do know that you don't have to knock in order to see me."

Ashley only managed a small nod, dreading to give her mother the letter.

"What is it?" Helen asked worriedly after seeing how distraught she looked. Not saying anything Ashley held out the letter and Helen took it delicately. Reading it over quickly a frown spread on her face. She looked up to find Ashley watching her nervously.

"Oh Ashley." Helen sighed. "I assume this came in an envelope?" At her daughters nod Helen took a moment to consider her next words but she was cut off when Ashley finally spoke.

"I know it was addressed to you but it's from _my_ school. And it's about me so I had a right to know what it said." She defended childishly.

Helen stood and walked over to Ashley and led her to one of the sofas. "Here sit down for a moment."

They sat and Helen took Ashley's small hand in her own, noticing how clammy it was. She must have been really nervous about confronting her about this, especially since her indiscretion was so obvious. Ashley's head hung in defeat and Helen's heart clenched.

"Mom, I kn-" Ashley began but Helen stopped her.

"Ashley, listen to me. I don't blame you for wanting to know what it said. However you did open a letter that was specifically addressed to me. You know that I share everything with you and this would have been no exception." She stopped to gauge her reaction.

Ashley finally looked up. "I know mom, and I'm really really sorry."

"I know you are." Helen said soothingly, running her hand over Ashley's platinum blond hair affectionately. She let her hand rest on Ashley's shoulder gently.

"Now, what to do about my little delinquent?"

Ashley looked sharply at her mom, ready to defend herself when she noticed the playful smirk on Helen's lips and the mischievous glint in her eyes. Ashley giggled despite herself and Helen's smirk became a full blown smile.

"I'm not a delinquent mom. My science teacher just doesn't like me."

"What makes you suspect that?" Helen asked curiously. She removed her hand from Ashley's shoulder and watched Ashley struggle with the question.

"Because she's always correcting me." Ashley finally answered scornfully.

"I do believe that is her job Ashley."

Ashley rolled her eyes and Helen had to refrain from laughing. "What I mean is that she does it even when I'm right. She always finds _something_ wrong with my answers and then she announces it to the class; gleefully."

Helen mulled over that for a moment. "What else has she been doing?"

"Oh you know, the usual I-hate-anyone-smarter-than-myself stuff." Ashley responded sulkily and then huffed a sigh.

"Ashley." Helen reprimanded sternly. "As much as she may or may not deserve such comments, remember that she is your elder. More than that she is your teacher and thus deserves a modicum of respect."

Ashley mumbled something that sounded rude but Helen let is slide. She knew sending Ashley to a public school would stir the waters and for the thousandth time she doubted her decision on the matter. She couldn't blame Ashley for her obvious frustration. In fact Helen was surprised that this was the first letter she had received to date. She had expected something like this to happen much sooner and had even convinced herself that they would both come out of this whole school experience unscathed. Given Ashley's home life and Helen's personal guidance on her earlier education, the young blond was well beyond her current grade level, as well as her peers' maturity level.

Helen sighed heavily which caused Ashley to look up at her.

"Mom I'm sorry. I've tried so hard to fit in, but I can't change who I am." She looked down at her tightly clasped hands and Helen could tell she was fighting to control her overactive teenage emotions.

She reached over and pried Ashley's hands apart and clasped them in her own.

"Ashley." She spoke gently but Ashley remained with her head down. "Look at me."

At that Ashley looked up and Helen saw the tears pooling in her daughters eyes. She placed her hand softly on the side of Ashley's face.

"You never have to apologize for who you are; to anyone, especially me."

"Okay." Ashley replied, her voice choking on the word. She took a moment to compose herself and Helen pulled her hand away to give her space. "Now what mom?"

"Now I go and give this Ms. Mueller a call to set up our conference. It's only fair to hear her side of the story Ashley." Helen said in response to Ashley's rather loud groan.

"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you." Ashley wagged her finger for good measure.

Helen laughed. "I doubt she will do anything to warrant such a statement."

"I hope so, for her sake." Ashley stood and made her way toward the door. Before exiting she turned back to Helen who had made her way back over to her desk to retrieve the letter.

"Oh and if she does, just give her the old Magnus charm." Winking rather boisterously she left the office leaving behind a very amused Helen.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry, I forgot to write TBC! Anhoo, yeah there is more to this story. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Helen walked down the halls of the school, noticing how very bland everything looked. No wonder Ashley was constantly complaining about having to come here for eight hours a day five days a week. It was just so uninspiring, not to mention quiet. The only sound was the echo of her stilettos as she made the long trek down the narrow hallway, made much narrower by the many lockers lining both sides. She checked her watch, five minutes until her appointment.

It was nearing the end of the school day and Helen could just imagine the stampede of students as they filed out of the classrooms, practically running for the exits. It was a Friday and they no doubt would use every spare minute trying to forget having spent an entire week at school. She had purposefully set up the meeting so she could pick Ashley up herself, having decided it was time to finally see where her daughter received her so-called education.

Walking up to the classroom where they were to meet, Helen peered inside and instantly caught sight of Ashley talking to the teacher and by the way that her lips were barely moving she could tell her daughter was trying very hard to stay calm and collected. Ashley finished speaking and the teacher turned away from her and began talking. Helen had no idea what they were talking about but by the way that the teacher was sneering instantly irritated Helen, to say the least. This must be Ms. Mueller, the science teacher. Watching further she noticed how Ms. Mueller would point at Ashley and then pointedly talk to the rest of the class. Ashley's face became stony, her hands gripping her pencil tightly. Knowing that Ashley could handle only so much Helen watched intensely for the breaking point. It came when the pencil snapped and Ashley looked ready to leap across the desk, sprint to the front and like nothing better than to strangle her teacher. Helen had had enough.

"That is quite enough." Helen announced as she strode into the room. All eyes turned to her but she ignored all of them, instead focusing her gaze entirely on Ms. Mueller.

"Mom." Ashley said, her voice a mixture of surprise and relief. She was half standing half sitting, caught before she could act on her instincts. And Helen knew that those instincts could easily prove to be fatal even at her young age.

Helen swung her gaze from Ms. Mueller to Ashley and smiled softly.

"Ashley." She acknowledged before she looked back at Ms. Mueller, her expression hardening slightly. For all she knew Ashley had been arguing just to upset the teacher, but that was far less likely than what she suspected was really going on. The classroom began to buzz with hurried whispers about Helen's sudden appearance and the teacher ordered them all to be silent.

"Mrs. Magnus I assume." Ms. Mueller said, trying in vain to smile pleasantly. Helen didn't like her tone and immediately disliked the woman.

"You assume wrong. It's Ms. Magnus." Helen responded and could feel every eye in the room on glued on her. "I am sorry for the interruption but I thought it best to step in before things got out of hand." She looked over at Ashley who had resumed her seat. Ashley in turn tried to slink further into her chair.

"Yes, I'm quite glad you did. Ashley here was doing nothing short of trying to incite a riot."

Helen's eyes grew cold at the malice with which this woman was speaking, about her daughter no less. Mueller took a step back at the look in Helen's eyes but Helen took one forward.

"Mom, it's alright. Really." Now Ashley was intervening before Helen did something she would regret in front of a bunch of junior high-school students.

"Now Ms. Magnus-" Mueller began to say but Helen cut in.

"Please call me Dr." Helen couldn't understand exactly what was compelling her to act in such a way, only that women like Mueller always set her teeth on edge. Women who took advantage of all the years that had been spent creating equality between men and women. Women who walked around expecting everything to be given to them out of a belief that they deserved it just for being a woman; not even bothering to actually earn that right.

"Alright Doctor, I am almost finished here." Mueller replied and almost instantly the bell rung and her next words were drowned out by the sound of scraping chairs and rustling bags. The students practically fled the room, most taking one last glance at the two adults before exiting. Their loud voices floated back into the classroom and Helen could hear the comments about her sudden and abrupt appearance. She held back a smile; this was bound to cause a stir.

Ashley had remained behind and Helen looked over to her.

"Ashley is there somewhere you can go while I talk to Ms. Mueller?"

"Yeah." Ashley responded slowly. Helen walked over to where she sat and began to help Ashley gather her things. She unconsciously and meticulously arranged them so they fit neatly into her school bag.

"Mom, it's alright I can do it myself." Ashley muttered so only Helen could hear. Helen in return gave Ashley an apologetic smile.

"I sometimes forget just how grown up you are." She responded.

Ashley nodded stiffly and zipped up her bag, gave Helen a thumbs up and quickly made her way toward the door.

"Ashley." Mueller said shrilly. "I'll be expecting that report first thing on Monday or else it will result in a zero for the assignment."

Ashley's shoulders stiffened, as well as Helen's, but the blond only replied with a curt yes and then disappeared out the door. Helen walked to the front of the class and stood waiting for Mueller to speak first.

"If you'll have a seat." The woman said quite rudely.

_Oh so this is how it's going to be then?_ Helen thought wryly. She looked around for a moment and found a chair and placed it directly in front of Mueller's desk and sat down gracefully.

"I'll keep this short as I'm sure you're quite a busy lady." Mueller spoke but this time her voice held barely hidden disdain.

"Quite." Helen responded firmly.

Her attitude clearly threw the teacher off and while she made a valiant attempt at trying to redirect the conversation, Helen could tell that she was flustered.

"You were saying." Helen prompted.

"Yes, I was saying that Ashley is having a hard time understanding even the most basic assignments. Her attitude towards this class is…well it's-"

"Why don't you just say what is on your mind Ms. Mueller. We are both adults and I'm sure we can handle such an adult conversation. That is if you can conduct yourself with enough respect regarding my daughter."

Mueller actually spluttered for a moment before she turned red at the insinuation. "That has no bearing on this discussion."

"I beg to disagree." Helen said icily. "It has every bearing on this conversation, if you can call it that. The fact that you have treated Ashley in such a poor manner while still in the presence of her mother leaves me with little doubt as to how she is treated while I am not present. And that is simply not acceptable."

"Not acceptable?" Mueller asked and her voice seemed to have gained an octive.

"I have said exactly what is on my mind, and I suggest you do the same. Otherwise we have no further need to continue with this conversation." Helen challenged, knowing that the other woman would only back herself into a corner from which she would show her true colors. Not that Helen needed that to happen in order to know what kind of colors those were. She had seen untamed abnormals use better manners than this woman was using.

"Don't think I don't know what you're doing." Mueller accused as she stood and tried to tower over Helen.

"I'm sure I have no idea what you are referring to." Helen responded with dead calm.

"Like hell you don't. You come in here, to my classroom, wearing your expensive clothes, talking in that ridiculous accent with your perfect hair and perfect nails, and have the audacity to speak to me like I'm not worthy to even be in the same room as you." Mueller's voice had become quite hysterical and her face was flushed. Helen noted that her hands were clutching the edge of the desk just itching to attack her.

Helen stood slowly. "Obviously you don't know the meaning of audacity. The moment I walked in here I knew exactly what kind of woman you are. Oh yes, I've seen your kind too many times to not recognize the sheer desperation of someone who is trying in vain to compensate for their lack of self-esteem; or in your case self-loathing."

Mueller actually paled and her eyes narrowed. "We're done here."

"I think not." Helen said as she readied herself for round two.

***

Ashley waited anxiously in the school's office for her mom to come and get her. She kept checking her watch, making the secretary question her numerous times if she was alright. Finally Helen strode into the room, her face stony. She looked at Ashley, her face instantly softening, and walked up to the reception desk.

"I wish to speak with Mr. Osbun please."

Ashley sat there staring at her mom with barely concealed surprise. She didn't even know her mom knew the principal's name, let alone would demand a meeting with him after the one she just had. Something big must have gone down and she found herself extremely curious.

"One moment." The secretary responded kindly. She spoke quickly to the principal via the intercom and a moment later Helen disappeared inside his office, leaving a very confused and anxious Ashley to speculate on what was going on.

Fifteen or twenty minutes later, Helen emerged shaking Mr. Osbun's hand.

"Thank you for your time."

"You're welcome, anytime I can be of assistance." He replied. He was grinning goofily and Ashley rolled her eyes. She mentally ticked off another check, adding her principal as yet another guy who was displaying the classic symptoms of being smitten by her mom.

Helen smiled at him, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. No one else noticed, except Ashley, and soon the both of them had exited the office.

"Can we go home now?" Ashley asked as she pushed open the office's door and stepped out into the now deserted hallway.

"Not just yet. There is one more thing we need to do." Helen responded.

Ashley groaned but soon perked up when she spotted Ms. Mueller coming from the down the hall. The teacher was walking very fast and nearly knocked Ashley over in her haste to get to the office.

"Ashley, it's not polite to stare." Helen said not breaking stride.

Ashley ran to catch up with her. "Yeah especially when someone's crying. What did you say to her?" Her voice was full of awe and she was looking at her mom in a new light.

"Nothing that didn't need to be said," Helen responded vaguely.

"Whatever that means," Ashley noted and then watched Helen for a moment. "Mom you are seriously _the_ coolest mom ever."

Helen smiled broadly and looked down at Ashley. They had stepped out into the sunshine and spotted Helen's car waiting for them.

"And to think, I haven't even told you I'm taking you out for dinner and ice cream yet."

Helen's laughter was nearly drowned out by Ashley's loud whooping.

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**I have one more chapter written but am thinking that this might be the perfect spot to stop. What do you think?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Alright, so here's the last chapter. Here I took some liberties, okay I took a lot. Now we see a different side of the school. Hope you all enjoy!**

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Helen was working silently in her office when her daughter threw the doors open and stormed inside. Helen raised her eyebrows in question and Ashley had the sense to look abashed.

"Ashley, to what do I owe this interruption?" Helen asked setting down the paper she had been reading.

"There's another letter." Ashley responded and threw the letter, still in its envelope, onto the desk and sat heavily in one of the chairs across from Helen. Helen sighed and reached for the envelope. It had only been two weeks since the incident with Ms. Mueller and now it was happening all over again.

"It seems as though you're literature teacher would like to have a conference with me." Helen said as she finished reading. Ashley was staring at her with wide eyes.

"What? But I _love_ that class and that teacher is really cool." She chewed her lip and looked off into space, obviously thinking about what could have caused this.

"Well we'll only know once I've talked to her." Helen responded as she reached for the phone.

"Wait! Mom, please don't make this one cry. I like her and she's a good teacher."

Helen's hand stopped mid-air. "I don't intentionally go around making teachers cry Ashley, nor have I made it a habit."

"I didn't mean to sound like that. Although it is wicked when you do, but Ms. Heather's nice." Ashley hurriedly explained.

"Don't you have homework to do?"

***

"Dr. Magnus!"

Helen stood in the doorway of Ms. Boyd's classroom. It was lunch and this time no audience for her to make a spectacle in front of. Ms. Boyd was in the middle of finishing up her lunch when she caught sight of Helen standing in her door and had immediately called out for her. She stood and wiped her mouth with a napkin and brushed her hands on her pants. She was a young woman, maybe late twenties, with shoulder length curly blond hair and bright blue eyes. She had a very slight build, hidden under too loose of clothes, but she held herself with such confidence that one would be hard pressed to notice.

"Ms. Boyd." Helen reached to shake hands.

"Please call me Heather." Ms. Boyd responded. "And please do have a seat. Sorry about the mess," she said as she clumsily removed the stacks of papers lying on the chair and laid them on the ground. She shrugged at the sight and turned to face Helen.

"No rest for the weary and all that jazz right?" She laughed lightly and indicated the chair for Helen to sit down in.

"Heather?"

For a fraction of a second there was confusion in Heather's eyes but soon comprehension dawned and her eyes crinkled in merriment.

"Ah, caught in the act. I let the kids call me Ms. Heather. I find it much more conducive to an open and honest relationship with them."

Helen looked at her speculatively and she chuckled.

"I know, a bit unorthodox. However, the result is that they feel much more comfortable, leaving them more susceptible to their creativity."

Helen nodded. "And does it work?"

"Mostly, but then again you always have those who are resistant. Please let's sit so we can talk more comfortably."

Helen sat and faced Heather, ready for the axe to fall. Heather sat down and cleared her lunch from the desk and brought out a folder full of papers.

"Here is all the work that Ashley has done in my class. I must say that she is quite a little spit fire."

"Am I to take it that she is causing problems in your class as well?" Helen asked, trying not to jump to conclusions.

"No you misunderstand me." Heather said sitting forward and appearing very excited. "I thoroughly enjoy having Ashley in my classroom. Her creativity is so inspiring and seemingly limitless. In fact I find it hard to keep up with her at times and even then I feel as though she's not reaching her full potential." Here she stopped to look at Helen and gauge her reaction. Helen sat patiently waiting for her to continue, mulling over this new information. Ashley had never really spoken of her literature class, the only time being when Heather's letter had arrived.

"I've asked you here to seek your advice. I read some time ago in Ashley's file that you had seen to her earlier education before she came to attend school here. You more than anyone would know how to challenge her. With that in mind I would very much like to ask your help in coming up with ways to do just that. Tap into her full potential and really explore the massive creativity that I _know_ she has but just hasn't been given the chance to explore."

Helen couldn't help her surprise from showing. She was expecting an older, more stern woman to be teaching this class. This woman was exactly the kind of woman that Helen had always admired. A complete and utter difference between Ms. Mueller.

"You seem shocked. I know it's not conventional for a teacher to ask a parent's advice on matters such as these, but I'm afraid I've hit a brick wall concerning Ashley."

"Well as much as I'm flattered by the confidence in my abilities, I'm sure that you're perfectly capable of handling Ashley's continued education."

Heather leaned forward eagerly. "At one point I would have agreed with you, however Ashley has a huge capacity to learn and I'm just afraid that at the pace she's holding she'll quickly grow bored. And that is something I will not let happen, especially with someone like your daughter."

She stopped and pulled out a piece of paper from Ashley's file and held it out to Helen.

"Here, if you would read this."

Helen took it and began to read. Finishing it she realized that she had almost forgotten to breath. The writing was beautiful and Helen found herself amazed at the seemingly effortless way Ashley had managed to capture her life into one simple poem. It was haunting and caught the reader up into the emotions captured so elegantly in ink.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Heather asked and after receiving a nod from Helen she continued. "Ashley's ability to write like this shines through on all of her papers and I find myself hard pressed to find anything to critique. Most of the time I end up crying and just giving her full marks."

Helen didn't doubt that, seeing as how she herself was having trouble keeping the tears at bay.

"She's always shown a remarkable gift for writing, but this…this is way beyond anything I've ever read from her before."

"Dr. Magnus," again Heather leaned forward and Helen feared she would fall from her precarious perch on her chair. "I can't stress enough the importance of keeping Ashley from falling victim to boredom."

"Of course not. And please call me Helen." Helen smiled at the woman sitting so eagerly across from her.

Heather smiled mischievously. "Are you sure? Rumor going around is that you like to be called Dr."

"Well I'm sure Ms. Mueller would not object if I let you call me Helen."

Heather threw her head back and laughed. Helen couldn't help the smile that spread across her face.

"My goodness, and here I was expecting you to verbally abuse me. Of course, Mueller has been known to be a bit…"

"Offensive." Helen offered when Heather had trouble coming up with the right word; that or not wanting to appear rude. It was no secret there was animosity between Helen and the science teacher. Heather didn't respond but the gleam in her eyes was all Helen needed to know she had an ally.

"So can I count you in?"

Helen wasted no time. "Yes. Let the creativity begin."

***

Sitting on her bed jamming out to her music, Ashley looked up when her door opened and her mother stood in the door. She beckoned her in and shut the music off.

"How'd it go?" Ashley asked and the worry was evident in her voice.

"Very well." Helen responded and said no more.

"Well how? What did Ms. Heather want to talk to you about?"

"She just wanted to talk one on one about her star pupil. Ashley you are immensely gifted and I wish I had known about this earlier. Why haven't you let me read any of your writing?" Helen sat down on the bed and faced Ashley. Ashley took a moment to answer and Helen waited patiently, one of the perks of living for so long.

"I wanted to, but it all seems so unimportant compared to what you deal with everyday. And what does it matter really?"

"How can you say that?" Helen asked incredulously and stared intently at Ashley. "You are the single most important thing in my life and I care greatly for everything you do. And it matters because I'm your mother."

"Thanks mom, that's nice." Ashley muttered and slunk away.

"Ashley, stop this." Helen ordered sternly. "I've read all your papers and I've seen just how gifted you are. And as the leading authority on gifted people I say you're by far the best one I know." She purposefully spoke in terms that Ashley would comprehend in her current state.

This seemed to get through to Ashley and she looked at her mom, shock evident in her eyes. Suddenly she launched herself into Helen's arms and hugged her. Helen returned it and began to stroke her hair, letting the moment sink in. Emotions were not something either of them really gave into, however moments like these were so very precious to Helen and whether or not Ashley liked to admit it, they were to her as well.


End file.
